The rest, who dwelt furthest from the waters of Cuiviénen, and wandered in the hills, had not seen Oromë at his first coming, and knew only vague scary rumors of the Valar; lies of Melkor concerning Oromë and Nahar perhaps had a roles.[1] So they remained suspicious, or simply refused to depart from their own lands, and spread gradually throughout the wide lands of Middle-earth. Their population was composed of half of the Tatyar and one third of the Nelyar, who maybe were called Lindai. According to a tradition their leaders were Morwë of the Tatyar and Nurwë of the Nelyar. They were after known by the name "the Unwilling", because they refused the summons.

Initially the Avari stayed in Cuiviénen but many of them started to wander westwards.

The Avari who finally went westwards, were mingled with the Nandor of the Vales of Anduin, Eriador and some reached Beleriand, mingling with the Laiquendi. But very few settled in Doriath. The Avari who came from the Tatyar were unfriendly and jealous to the Noldor, their exalted kin, and accused them for arrogance.

The Edain who traveled to the West met the Avari first of all the Elves, and were taught from them music and language, which influenced theirs. They probably taught them many of the basic crafts of civilization, though the craft of the Eldar surpassed that of the Avari even more than that of the Avari surpassed primitive Men.

According to the legends Orcs may be descended by Avarin elves captured and corrupted by Melkor. The Barrow-wights may also be spirits of Avari.[source?]

Other versions of the legendarium

In older versions of the legendarium, the name Avari was originally that of the later Eldar, then meaning "those that departed".

In other, relatively late writings, a brief idea was that the Avari did not come from the three clans, but from two other clans, led by Nurwë and Morwë. This idea was later dropped. In the final conception, the Elves were divided into three tribes.